DEPUTY council leader Steve Cardownie today insisted plans for higher parking charges for gas-guzzling cars were not a "fait accompli", as the city's ruling coalition appeared split over the proposals.
The SNP group leader warned the plans, unveiled yesterday, could be "discriminatory" against poorer families and needed careful consideration.
Insiders at City Chambers also complained that senior councillors were kept in the dark about the propos
als contained in the report before they were revealed in the press.
But Lib Dem city leader Jenny Dawe, who admitted she did not know the scheme was on the agenda for next week's transport committee until yesterday morning, dismissed Cllr's Cardownie's warnings, and said the SNP is "probably not as green as we are".
The issue will now dominate high-level talks between administration leaders from both parties before next Tuesday's committee.
Under the proposals, owners of the biggest gas-guzzlers would see the cost of an inner zone permit double from the current £160-a-year to £320. But drivers of the least polluting vehicles in the outer zones could see their charge fall from £80 to just £15. Residents would also face higher charges for second vehicles.
Cllr Cardownie said: "I'm not convinced that imposing financial penalties (unrelated] to income is the way to convince people to drop to cars with lower emissions. It seems discriminatory.
"Many families have large cars because they have a large number of children, yet perhaps a single person with a 4x4 would shrug this increase off.
"It is by no means a fait accompli that we will go through this route – we will examine it more thoroughly."
The RAC Foundation also believes the charges could be unfair on people with large families and disabled people, while the Association of British Drivers has dismissed the proposals as a "political exercise" intended to make life difficult for motorists.
Council officials said the proposals would result in a loss of income of around £50,000, because only 20 per cent of motorists would pay more – while two-thirds would see their charges go down. The changes would involve a new traffic regulation order, which could result in a public hearing before the scheme was adopted.
City environment leader Robert Aldridge, who was out of the country when the report became public yesterday, said the proposals "seem sensible at the moment".
"I hope that once they have seen the details, (other councillors] will be on board," he said.
Cllr Dawe, who insisted there was no split in the coalition, lent her personal support and added: "From the point of view of good environmental housekeeping, it's certainly something worth putting to committee.
"You don't need a 4x4 or a car with an enormous engine to carry a large family. It would be a very small number of people who felt they were being discriminated against."
"I think this took everyone a bit by surprise when it appeared on the agenda – normally we would have had an agenda planning meeting, but the convener and vice convener have been on holiday."
One administration source added: "It caught a lot of people by surprise. There are concerns that this seems to be another policy that might be deemed anti-car.
"There's a lot more discussion to be had, but alarm bells are ringing."
The full article contains 555 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
